The Show:
The third volume of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
continues to craft an interesting and multilayered story. The plot
thickens as the enigmatic and grossly disfigured Mr. Gohda reveals a tiny
portion of what's up his sleeve, and the problems with the refugees escalate.
The disc ends with some bizarre events taking place that don't seem to
make any sense, drawing viewers deeper into this season's mystery.
Series Synopsis:
In the not too distant future, most humans are augmented by cybernetic
implants. These implants make people faster, stronger, and more powerful.
No longer do you have to spend excruciating hours in the gym to get the
perfect body, you can just order one. Crime is still prevalent in
this future society, and the criminals are now much more powerful.
In order to combat these criminals, a special division of the police, Section
9 has been created. Manned with state of the art cybernetically enhanced
officers Section 9 handles the cases that no one else is equipped to.
In this season the political background is much more important.
The are a lot of racial tension in Japan at this time. Hoards of
refugees and immigrants from Asia flooding into the country due to the
2nd Viet Nam War. At first Japan welcomed the cheap labor to help
rebuild after the conflict, but now the middle class sees their tax dollars
going to help the new comers at the same time that they are taking up jobs.
Segregated into refugee camps that are nothing more than slums, many fear
that these immigrants with little hope will soon turn violent.
This volume:
The problems and unrest with the refugees continues to escalate.
Now there is a group of terrorists who are employing suicide bombers to
cause havoc and fear, and the word on the street is that they are refugees.
The members of Section 9 are trying to track down the terrorists, and the
Major follows up a lead of her own that takes her to Mr. Gohda, the horribly
scarred head of Cabinet Information Security.
One of the weaker episodes in the series pops up next. Togasa
stumbles onto a crime while he's off duty. A woman is being chased
by her ex-boyfriend, and Togasa does some extreme damage to the perpetrator's
prosthetic body while he (unsuccessfully) tries to save a woman's life.
The killer's attorney is pretty slick though, and manages to twist things
around to make it look like Togasa's the criminal. This courtroom
drama doesn't really fit in with the tone of the rest of the show, and
though there is more to this trial than meets the eye, it lacks the impact
of most of the other episodes.
That weaker episode is followed up by a story that was also a bit different
but tone but excellent none the less. While putting some prospective
Section 9 trainees through an entrance exam, the Major stumbles upon an
unusual shop, one where people leave objects that they have a strong
sentimental attachment with. The proprietor relates the story of
one pair of objects, some antique prosthetic bodies for children, as the
Major listens on enraptured.
While this season isn't quite as good as the first one, it is still
excellent. There are many plots and subplots carefully intertwined
so that you're never really sure what is important and what's just an interesting
story that gets thrown in. If you are looking for an intelligent
show that will give you a lot to think about, you've found it.
The DVD:
This DVD comes in two versions: A regular version, reviewed here,
and a deluxe version. The deluxe version has an extra disc with the
same episodes repeated but with a DTS sound track, along with some bonus
items.
Audio:
The viewer has the choice of viewing this program with either an English
dub (5.1 and 2.0) or in the original Japanese (also 5.1 and 2.0.)
There is good use of the full sound stage on the 5.1 tracks, giving the
show a very encompassing feeling. Music and incidental effects come
from all angles surrounding the viewer, but these never become overpowering.
There isn't a trace of hiss or distortion, and everything is very clear
and crisp. I viewed the show in both English and Japanese, and I
had a preference for the original language, but the English dub sounded
great as well, with the voice talent doing a good job. There are
optional full English subtitles or just subtitles for the signs and song
lyrics.
Video:
Like the previous season, the video on this show is absolutely stellar.
The anamorphic widescreen video was encoded from a high definition master
and is just about flawless. The colors were excellent, blending gracefully
from shade to shade without any signs of banding. The picture was
sharp and the definition was first-rate. This is a great looking
show.
Extras:
In addition to a series of trailers, this DVD includes a 12-minute interview
with animation directors Kenichi Takeshita and Toshiyuki Kono, and an interview
with director Kenji Kamiyama.
Final Thoughts:
One of my favorite series currently being released, I look forward to
every volume. This show has excellent animation, well rounded characters
and a very intriguing plot. More than your mindless fighting or mecha
shows, this is a series that pulls the viewer in with it's multifaceted
world and intricate plotting. Highly Recommended.
Buy: